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After nearly a decade in the CFL, Jeff Keeping has earned some room to stretch.

The six-foot-six, 302-pound centre was all smiles at the Toronto Argonauts’ final practice in Mississauga before heading west to play the B.C. Lions on Thursday night.

While the cross-continent flight may be a rough ride for some linemen, the nine-year veteran finally has the best seat on the plane, next to the emergency exit.

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“If you’re here long enough, you move up the ranks and finally you get the emergency exit,” Keeping laughed. “My ninth year in the league and I’m finally upgraded into the emergency exit row. It’s a nice perk”

The years of service might not be the only contributing factor. After all, it comes after a 39-34 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in which the offensive line didn’t give up a sack, and gave quarterback Ricky Ray enough time to throw a four-touchdown, interception-free game.

At 30, it’s only his second year playing centre, even though he’s been with the Argos for eight of his nine years in the CFL. The Uxbridge, Ont., native played tight end at the University of Western Ontario, and has played on both sides of the ball since he was selected by the Argos in the second round of the 2005 draft.

In Toronto’s 2006 playoff run, Keeping started as a defensive lineman. In 2012, he won the starting centre job out of camp.

As he begins his sophomore season at the position, he has a sense of familiarity with Ray.

“It’s nice,” Ray said. “He makes all the calls protection-wise, so I can kind of sit back there and read the defensive backfield and not really have to worry about what’s going on up front.

“I know he’s going to take care of them.”

Against the Ticats last Friday, Ray threw for four touchdowns and 368 yards, including a 73-yard TD to Jason Barnes. With a quarterback rating of 145.2, the CFL named Ray its offensive player of the week on Tuesday.

“I thought our line played pretty well,” said coach Scott Milanovich. “First game, they were very physical. There was a couple free hitters that we got to tighten up on, but for the most part the protection was outstanding.”

As for this week’s game against the Lions, Milanovich expects a much different attack from an opponent out to prove itself after a 44-32 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in Week 1.

The Lions’ defensive line was a non-factor in the rout, giving up 172 yards and two touchdowns to Stamps running back Jon Cornish.

Calgary’s Charleston Hughes also had a free pass from the Lions’ line towards quarterback Travis Lulay. Hughes had three sacks and made headlines Tuesday for the steak dinner Lulay owes him after their friendly bet before the game.

In all, it was a disastrous debut for a line that was without pass rusher Khalif Mitchell, who was traded to Toronto in April and will make his return to Vancouver on Thursday night.

Keeping, meanwhile, is expecting a physical game from the Lions, who will feature Brampton native Jabar Westerman on their defensive line.

He was the West Division most outstanding rookie last year after being selected second overall in the 2012 draft. His role got a big boost with the departure of Mitchell, and it has yet to be seen how he and the Lions’ defensive line will rebound from their rough start.

As for the Argos, Milanovich says the game plan starts with the offensive line.

“It’s the No. 1 thing that we concern ourselves with is protecting Ricky. It starts with the O-line, but it goes to (running back Chad) Kackert and (slotback Andre) Durie,” Milanovich said.

He said the next task for his offence is to prove its consistency from week to week.

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